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timgray

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Everything posted by timgray

  1. timgray
    if they are 5 ohm, then it's fine to use resistor plugs. if they are 5K ohm then I personally would not run with resistor plugs. non-resistor plugs are a major pain to get a-hold of. and you cant trust the locat parts stores to have them. I have yet to have a counter guy hand me real non resistor plugs but a cross refrence that would fit but have resistors. It is also fine to run with both, most guys riding out there do run with both because of the pain it is to get non-resistor plugs. the longer spark is just a side effect, a longer spark is "quieter" as far as electrical interference goes. also, the RFI/EMI issue. I dont get any radio noise in my bike and I have non-resistor plugs and the stock caps with resistors. 5K ohms is enough to wipe out the noise well on our bikes. now if you had a nice sensitive fuel injector 1 inch away from that spark plug, now you need more resistance to further get rid of that noise. Fuel injectors act like antennas to feed ignition interference back into the ignition computer. so Fuel injected bikes and cars have a higher resistance total to further reduce RFI/EMI. But they also dont have 25 year old low power coils either.
  2. timgray
    Yes, seafoam + adding nitrogen in the tires + a carb sync will cure baldness. That said, your bike has stronger coils, has the moon aligned right, has enough road angle bells, you are the perfect weight for it to work perfectly. Every bike is different. I have a friend with a XS750 that will NOT start cold. we have to kick start it with a fresh battery to start. I removed the resistors from his caps, they looked like new so no corrosion, and now it starts easily every time. His coils only put out only 3.5K volts when the battery is low during a electric start. If your bike runs fine.... DONT TOUCH ANYTHING.... just ride....
  3. timgray
    using resistor plugs AND resistor CAPS will give you a longer but weaker spark. It actually makes the spark last longer, but it is weaker. This is because the coil releases only a specific amount of energy. You either release it all in a powerful fast spark, or you release it as a weaker longer spark. you can make the spark longer and weaker by adding resistance. The resistor is there for EMI and RFI suppression. 5K ohms is what is normal for an older carbeurated ignition system, you start to see plugs get easily fouled when you get over 10K ohms, which can cause hard cold starting or easy flooding. Most modern ignition systems try to make up for this by adding high power coils. the spark is stronger but still longer, The EMI/RFI supression in a modern car is very high up near 20Kohms because of the fuel injectors and more computers in it than the space shuttle did back in the late 80's. Our bikes have about a 7000Volt coils, compared to a 2009 Grand AM that has over 40,000 volt coils. They have 5X the resistance for RFI/EMI supression but the coils are firing over 5X the voltage. I like the idea of taking the resistors out of the plug caps. it makes it easier to find plugs that work well AND gives you the option of going back if needed. I would use a 12 AWG solid wire bent over and doubled and then file the ends flat to make a solid copper replacement for the resistor in the cap. Lack of a resistor or not using resistor plugs will simply increase any EMI/RFI noise the system makes. That can show up as spark noise in the FM radio. It wont hurt the bike, and in many cases removing the resistor in the plug by using a non resistor plug OR removing it from the cap will increase spark strength but shorten it's duration. Which usually means easier starting and better resistance to fouling if it did not start on the first crank and you soaked the plugs in gas.
  4. timgray
    For reference to others. NGK dp8ea-9 is a non resistor. what crosses to autolite and champion for that number are resistor plugs. It is very easy to get what you think are the right plug but are in fact resistor plugs. Take a voltmeter to the store. if the plugs read from 1K ohms to 6K ohms they are resistor plugs and should not be used. I had the guy at autozone swear up and down that his were non resistor until I showed him. you get a very weak spark when you run resistor plugs with the resistor caps that are standard on our bikes. Also nobody makes a platinum or iridium plug that is non resistor here in the states. I did find you can buy a dp8eix-9 in japan that is a non resistor iridium plug, but they are not sold here in the states and dont even have an entry in any american NGK books. Just a bit of spark-plug info I uncovered this past month with my ignition woes.
  5. timgray
    It must be in the bike and the bike turned on but not running. it get's its power from the motorcycle. never EVER upload a new set of settings to the bike while it is running. you can easily damage the bike that way. I learned this second hand as a buddy reloaded a program into his car's Computer while it was running on the dyno. Blew out a headgasket and bent a rod as the computer ignited the fuel at random times while the program was uploading. you CAN stay connected and watch system readings and see where on the spark map the bike is running. but do not change anything and click on upload when the engine is alive and running.
  6. timgray
    OOPS! Yeah, Todd, that's what I meant OOPS! The Ingitech has a +5V output for sensors. I need to ask them if it can support a MAP sensor, I know it can support a Throttle Position sensor as that is what was used on the triumph forums. Side note, thinking about knock and knock detection... This TCI actually could be tuned to take advantage of higher octane fuel. I was sitting there looking at the spark map and thinking, "If I get knock, I could just fill up with premium..." which means I really need to make sure that I am running unmodified cheap gas when doing spark map testing. I think any fuel additives will cause octane modification and may hide ping/knock that would happen in clean cheap fuel.
  7. timgray
    MAP sensor will be connected where they do it on 84+. I will cap off and abandon what they did on the 83. I am actually testing two units. the GM 1BAR that is found on most 82-99 cars and the one for the Geo metro that was used on their 900CC 3 cyl engine. Mostly because both of those are ones I have laying around, and they are the cheapest you can buy at any auto store, AND output a 0-5V signal for the TCI to understand. I am thinking the Geo Metro one is more sensitive because of the tiny engine it is attached to. Only way to know is to get the TCI and the bike running and measure some readings while the bike is running on the stand. It's hard to get full details on these items, It seems that car makers think that if you understand how their sensor work then the economy will collapse and zombies will rise from the streets. Update: I just got my TCI from Ingitech. Had to cut a phone call with Don short so I can run out and plug it in.. So nice to hear it run on 4 cyl again, but it's not running "right" it's running a bit laggy. throttle roll on from idle to about 1800K is acting like the timing is not right, after 2500rpm it runs much better. This is unloaded in the garage on the stand. I also found a knock sensor to add to the engine so I can try and detect pinging.. http://www.viatrack.ca/ is the kit I will use. Now the fun begins! get it back together enough to get a couple rides in before the weather makes it impossible, and start messing with the MAP sensor. I loaded the spark map at the top of this thread and it runs MUCH better than the one that comes in the box. I need to do more testing but it's a great starting point if not pretty darn close. This box has a very limited adjustment, there are only 10 cells to work with, so getting it this close may be good enough for most.... Remember everyone, you hold complete liability for using any and all information I post on this. It's your fault if you did what I said and your bike explodes, you get hurt, or your engine get's ruined. I am not an expert by any means in motorcycle ignition, I could be 100% wrong at any moment. If anyone is hoping for a plug in and go replacement that has a guarantee that it will not destroy their bike, it will not happen. The Ingitech TCI may fail and cause spark to detonate heavily blowing up a piston. Programming here might be wrong and do the same thing.
  8. timgray
    Timing advance does not work at all. it is intentionally disabled because the TCI can not talk to the wierd sensor on the bike. I will be attempting to make mine work by using a GM 1 bar sensor (if I can get a 1/2 bar sensor that would rock, but they dont exist) because they already put out the 0-5V signal the new TCI wants. It will be a DYI setup that will require tearing the bike down to install it. the only place I can find to install the GM 1 bar sensor is where the old TCI and boost sensor was. I also will be designing it for a 83 venture. my timing maps will not work on a 86+ as someone else will have to replicate what I do and go through the testing and retesting to get a working map. I was hoping to find someone that had a timing map for the bikes that shows what it is doing when the pressure sensor changes but have yet to see or hear of one. Which means it will be a very long process of trying to see what works by guess and by golly.
  9. timgray
    Does anyone know how long it tkaes for these guys to ship their TCI? I havent heard from them for over 2 weeks now so I was wondering if it takes them a month or two to build and test one? If you bought an Ingitech TCI how long did it take from when you paid to when you got it in your hands?
  10. timgray
    I cut some thin rubber hoses to line the rack where it mounts and touches. Then re attach the trunk. no more rattles.
  11. timgray
    Just like how "motorcycle oil" is specially formulated. It's not. You only have to worry about oil with the Energy saving friction modifiers in it. I personally dont even think it's a legal thing but a marketing thing. Hey we can get 2X the price for these if we slap the word "motorcycle" on the box and give it a different part number.
  12. timgray
    I use engine-brite. you have to take off the plastic but it works GREAT. It says on the can that it's ok for the environment, although what is coming off the engine certainly is not.
  13. timgray
    LT is a 4cyl. and is a great bike. I was going to go for one for my next bike but decided on the FJR1300 because they have a lot more power for pulling, the FJR engine has an absolute ton of torque. Plus the ABS brake parts for the fjr are 1/3rd the price of the ABS brake parts on the BMW. In fact all the parts are much cheaper and more used parts. Important if you are a fix-it-yourself guy, not important if you are not. the BMW has all the goodies standard though which is very nice. they also have a butter smooth engine, top end roll off is very satisfying when you get on it hard. If you ride 2 up a lot, be 100% sure that she is comfy back there by doign a test ride or at least having her sit on it with you. It's no where as roomy as a 1st or 2nd gen, and not even close to the comfort either bike delivers for the passenger. My wife is tiny so she has no problems. (She rides with me having the back rest in place on my 1st gen) Although she does not like that the BMW or other sport touring bikes do not have floorboards for the passenger. She likes the grab handles of the bmw, she said they feel right just like our 1st gen.
  14. timgray
    Yes, there are two ways to do it. 1 is to find a Cyclesound plate that goes on the left side that will mount a regular Car stereo. Then put a pair of Car stereo speakers in the dash speaker locations, wire them up. Two is to spend a few hundred dollars buying all the stock radio parts and wiring and install it. The STD has the power plug for the radio harness behind the headlight. If you want to do the Car stereo route, let me know. I have a good Cyclesound plate that was modified to use a modern car stereo in it that I'll let go for $25.00.. I went the crazy-mans route and spend about $250.00 for all the wiring and parts to install the stock radio. Most expensive parts were a non-destroyed radio mounting plate, the intercom wiring, and a working radio control module that did not have water damage. I still need to spend over a hundred on a cheap pair of headsets....
  15. timgray
    Anyone know if these cables are still available? I have the bike completely apart for my TCI problem so I might as well replace the positive and ground cables.
  16. timgray
    This is what I do. Clean it very well, spray it down with a painter prep to strip any and all wax, silicone or finger oil, wipe it down, then wipe with a tack rag. Spray it with an adhesion promoter lightly and let it dry, then paint a couple of coats of the bumper black paint. Looks like new again and has an incredible strong bond due to the adhesion promoter. The Krylon can have adhesion problems if there is any silicone or left over wax on it. The painters prep tries to get rid of all that.
  17. timgray
    Yup, my wife and I are also looking at fleeing the land of no jobs as well. Michigan Unemployment went up again last month. we have officially 19 people unemployed for every job posting that pops up That is based on people that are currently getting unemployment, the state does not count those that had it run out. Friends in HR talk about getting hundreds of applications for every position they post, so in reality it's far worse than the state admits. It's like throwing a single 8oz steak to a giant pack of starving wolves up here, and companies are dropping salaries by 25% or more for new hires because they know they can. My wife being an accountant cant find a job that pays more than $10.00 an hour because the companies hiring know they can lowball everyone hard. I hope you guys have nothing but great luck in Texas! At least you can easily ride all winter long!
  18. timgray
    A used "gamble" TCI is around $100-$150 on ebay. if it's dead when you get it, you gambled and lost. From what I can tell MOST Venture TCI's have a problem with the diodes inside corroding and breaking. When one of these fail they can arc and take out other components. Sometimes they can be fixed, other times they cant. My Bike is dead because of a failed TCI, I have a "NEW" aftermarket TCI coming from a company in Croatia called "INGITECH" their TCIP4 Full works on our bikes and they even have a spark timing that is correct. You do give up the highway cruise advanced timing function though. With the current exchange rates I paid $250.00 and it's the only "guaranteed to work" TCI you can get. Many of the ebay sellers sell "as-is" so if the TCI you buy is dead, you just bought a dead TCI for a lot of money.
  19. timgray
    If your bike is in good shape, you have full oil recirculation within 30 seconds of start. What get's me is my Harley riding neighbor. His idea of "warming it up" is to sit there for 5 minutes racing the engine over and over.. He does this with his cars as well. Nothing is worse for an engine than to start it and then instantly run it up to 3500-5000 rpm. Running little to no oil on a cam will wipe it out fast.
  20. timgray
    I always use a engine cleaner like engine brite. spray it on, scrub with a soft toothbrush and paint brush, then rinse it off. no chance of forcing water into every electrical plug and causing gremlins. Also check your connections from the TCI to each coil. a dirty connection there can keep a coil from firing. I would also get a can of electrical contact cleaner and a tube of dielectric grease and open, clean, grease, close, every single connector you can find.
  21. timgray
    Me Too! Because that's the easiest color for the paint guy to shoot a color over. Honestly, dont rule out a custom color. Some of the paint shops are really slow right now and may offer ya a good deal on a custom paint job.
  22. timgray
    1976 Cadillac Eldorado Fire-mist orange with a Red and gold metal-flake overlay and a marbleized stripe effects that are also airbrushed from red to gold. go to http://www.houseofkolor.com/ and look through the paint there. you will get tons of ideas...
  23. timgray
    Nope It has 8-track with a 45 record option. Actually, I love the 2nd gen radio. I'm helping a friend install the radio+intercom on a FJR1300. it actually fits and the controls on the handlebars look like it belongs there.
  24. timgray
    "boosters" are illegal anywhere inside the United States. and most of them are so poorly built they splatter all over the band and you are not heard clearly. Best thing to do. replace the antenna with a good one. then get someone that has a good SWR meter and have it tuned for the center of the band or the channels you hang on. That's the best you can do to improve a CB. remember that CB is dying, nobody is making quality CB radios anymore. FRS replaced it. In fact most group rides I go on they have FRS, GMRS, and CB frequencies, and most of the sportbikers only have FRS or GMRS. and if you use GMRS you can easily get the 3-4 miles that is needed. Plus the last time I fired up a good CB with a good antenna, there was so much chatter and intermod that it was useless on all 40 channels. so a good antenna will increase your receive range, and that is not always a good thing.
  25. timgray
    http://www.bobscycle.com/browse.cfm/4,10394.html These I believe are the correct ones.
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